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Fork-in-the-road sculpture will be site of food drive

The folks behind Pasadena’s 18-foot-high, fork-in-the-road street sculpture are at it again.

This time, they plan to use the giant utensil for a food drive.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, volunteers will collect nonperishable food items at the site of the whimsical sculpture at the intersection of South St. John and Pasadena avenues.

The food drive will benefit Union Station Homeless Services, which holds a Thanksgiving dinner each year in Central Park at South Fair Oaks Avenue and East Del Mar Boulevard.

The fork sculpture started off as a prank to celebrate the 75th birthday of Bob Stane, who owns the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena.

Philip Coombes, a friend of artist Ken Marshall, came up with the idea for the food drive. People can remain in their cars because volunteers will be standing by with bags for the food, Coombes said.

The Pasadena real estate broker said he wanted to put another positive spin on the fork, which went from birthday present to guerrilla art.

“It makes you feel good to help other people,” Coombes said. “At least, it makes me feel good.”

The fork was erected on Halloween and since has become a piece of impromptu public art in Pasadena. Stane and his friends have now proclaimed the site as Fork Plaza.

“We’re trying to make it one of the biggest food volunteering projects ever in Pasadena,” Stane said.

Coobes is still looking for volunteers for the event. Anyone interested can contact him at phil@agentphil.com.

—Nicole Santa Cruz

Photo: Pasadena's newest piece of street art, "The Fork in the Road," at South Pasadena Ave and St. John Avenue will be the site of a food drive this weekend. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times